Enid Blyton and her Brothers

[Anita Bensoussane]

It's a lovely collection to dip into, Katharine.

'Let's Have a Club of Our Own' is also in My Favourite Enid Blyton Story Book, which contains a selection of stories, poems, puzzles and articles from The Big Enid Blyton Book:

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... Story+Book" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Fatty]

You're not thinking of the 1961 The Big Enid Blyton Book, are you? (I'm not sure whether the abridged 1976 printing included that particular story).

Thanks Anita. I presume that's the book, though neither cover rings a bell. I couldn't refer to the cave because I'm browsing on my phone. I must have the 70s abridged edition though -- I'm sure I'd have noticed if it were a first edition. Also, while I didn't read all the stories, I don't recall seeing Zerelda's rehearsal. 'Club of Our Own' is definitely included. I seem to recall the book said 'Printed in Hungary' (or maybe another east European country). It's lying in my parents' home, so I can't check right now.

Edit: Just saw your recent update. I now realise the book I have is 'My Favourite Enid Blyton Story Book'. My cover has the group of children with the blonde girl reading, and not the guitar one, so I guess it's a later reprint. I did glance through it as soon as I bought it, and read a few of the stories, but I'm looking forward to a leisurely dip into it soon.

[Katharine]

Oh dear, so many books I still haven't got.

I must hunt out my copy of The Big Enid Blyton Book. I try and read every day, but sometimes I only have about 5 minutes and I don't dare to start reading a novel as I can't usually put it down after such a short amount of time, but a book of bits and pieces would be much easier.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I seem to recall the book said 'Printed in Hungary' (or maybe another east European country)

My Favourite Enid Blyton Story Book says, "Printed in Czechoslovakia by Svoboda".

[zaidi]

My question that did Enid, never make her children meet her brothers. Didn't she keep in contact with them,and did they live longer than her or tried to help her when she suffered from Dementia?, What about her brother's children are they alive doesn't Imogene know them?( I think your first cousins are very close to you,its like having more siblings). What about Enid's mother didn't she really love her daughter?

What about Enid's step brothers, any information about them or did Enid meet them?

Merging this with an older thread - Anita

[Anita Bensoussane]

Enid had a stepsister and two stepbrothers (though one of the boys died in infancy), but I don't think she ever met them.

[zaidi]

So what about her real brothers?

[Anita Bensoussane]

As far as I can gather, Enid Blyton wasn't in close contact with her brothers (Hanly and Carey) and would only see/speak to them once in a very long while. She seems to have cut her mother (Theresa) out of her life altogether, and Gillian and Imogen grew up believing that they didn't have a maternal grandmother even though Theresa was alive until they were both in their teens.

[Katharine]

I remember reading an article by one of Enid's nephews (think it was in an early Journal). I think he said he'd only met her once or twice as a child, but she used to send a Christmas present to him and his sister every year.

[Moonraker]

I think your first cousins are very close to you,its like having more siblings

I think you are much closer to your cousins (generally) in the Indian s/c than we are in the west. I have around (I can't even remember exactly how many) ten cousins, and never see any of them. They are certainly not like siblings. We have nothing in common, apart from our ancestry. Other families may well be different, but nobody I know considers them to be like siblings.

[Katharine]

Hate to be the odd one out again, but I'd say that as a family we are quite close. I used to see 3 of my cousins quite regularly, and we all stay in quite close touch. Perhaps not quite as close as siblings, but then I know some brothers and sisters who rarely see each other. My sister and a couple of my cousins all had babies around the same time, so used to meet up regularly. Another cousin is a hair dresser and cuts our hair. We try and meet up once a year on a local park, along with our spouses and offspring.

Even my parents are fairly close to their cousins. They don't meet up that often, but as a lot of them are local they'll bump into them from time to time and have a good chat. My mother's family have had a couple of get togethers with as many cousins as possible over the last few years.

Maybe it's easier for us, because the majority of my relations still live within Ipswich or the surrounding area.

[honesty]

In the movie Enid, she does have a great time with her brothers (Hanley and Carey) when she is young, but when Hanley comes to her house when she's older and tells her her mother died. Enid doesn't seem to pleased about him coming.
However, I think she had a great relationship with her brothers, better than her mother, anyway.

[Francis]

I get on very well with my cousins and always have done but I don't see them very often - usually now at funerals. However at least we have decided to meet at least once a year and have a pub lunch together to swap news and laugh about the past. Unfortunately I only have one aunt left out of nine aunts and uncles - what a sad thought.

[Domino]

I had two double-cousins (one of them is now deceased). That is to say our fathers were brothers and our mothers were sisters. I think we were always quite close. I also have three cousins who live nearer who I hardly ever see. (Weddings and funerals usually.) I always keep in touch with my cousin in Australia.
I think Nigel is right in saying that in other lands the extended family is much closer, but it's not just in the sub-continent.

Domino

[Katharine]

I've never heard the term double-cousins, sounds good though. My mother had a couple of aunts who married brothers. I think they named their sons the same too, which as they lived in a fairly small town must have caused a little confusion at times.